There oughta be a law

The public’s confidence in state government is at an all time low. Every year the Senate and Assembly churn out law after law after law and the Governor signs many of them. Frankly, folks are fed up. So much so that now we’ve got a bunch of people out collecting signatures to qualify initiatives, some of which will make it to the ballot next year.

Great. Just what we need – more laws.

We’ve already got a plethora of laws coming from the Legislature and now we get a plethora of wannabe laws coming from we the people. Who’s gonna be a grownup and say no – stop it? It can only be us.

How about we send different representatives to Sacramento in 2010? How about they enact laws that don’t worsen the economy, don’t take property and other tax revenues from local government, and don’t penalize we the people? How about we limit the number of bills they can propose every year? How about we set a limit on the number of voter initiatives too?

Yeah, that’s it! There oughta be a law against having so many laws.

Of course, we are being somewhat tongue in cheek, but something’s gotta change. You already know about Sacramento’s incredibly dysfunctional system and the legislators who make it that way, but wait ’til you hear what the legislature, some citizens and special interest groups are cooking for us now. It’s a very long list. Read it and weep.

There really oughta be a law…

Thanks to Paul McIntosh of the County Supervisors Association of California (CSAC) for providing the following list (as of December 16, 2009) of initiatives. More information on each (including title and summary when available and the measures’ language) is available at www.sos.ca.gov/  (general info) and at www.lao.ca.gov/ (full fiscal analyses).

Qualified for June 8, 2010, Primary Election Ballot

• Property tax: new construction exclusion: seismic retrofitting.
• Political Reform Act of 1974: California Fair Elections Act of 2008.
• Elections: open primaries.

Qualified for November 2, 2010 Primary Election Ballot

• Safe, Clean, and Reliable Drinking Water Supply Act of 2010 Pending Signature Verification (placed on the ballot by the Legislature – thanks to Sam for your sharp eyes and close reading!)
• New Two‐Thirds Requirement for Local Public Electricity Providers.

Pending Raw Count of Signatures

• Allows Auto Insurance Companies to Base Their Prices in Part on a Driver’s History of Insurance Coverage. Initiatives and Referenda in Circulation as of Dec. 16 (substantially similar duplicate measures not listed)
• Part‐Time Legislature.
• Mandatory Drug and Alcohol Testing for Members of the Legislature.
• Requirement for Legislators to Certify That They Understand Legislation and Have Not Accepted a Bribe or Engaged in Illegal Vote Swapping.
• Changes the Vote Requirement to Pass a Budget or Raise Taxes From Two‐Thirds to Three‐Fifths.
• Allows Insurance Companies to Increase or Decrease the Cost of Auto Insurance Based on a Driver’s Coverage History.
• Changes Constitution to Allow Voter to Call a Constitutional Convention with an Initiative.
• Calls a Convention to Draft New State Constitution.
• Changes California Law to Legalize, Regulate, and Tax Marijuana.
• Repeals Recent Legislation That Would Allow Businesses to Carry Back Losses, Share Tax Credits, and Use a Sales‐Based Income Calculation.
• Wealth Tax.
• Changes California Law to Legalize Marijuana and Allow It to Be Regulated and Taxed.
• Changes California Law to Legalize, Regulate, and Tax Marijuana.
• Eliminates the Law Allowing Married Couples to Divorce. (Annulment still OK)
• Redistricting of Congressional Districts.
• Reduces Legislative Session and Pay by at Least 50%.
• Requires Public Schools to Offer Christmas Music.
• Limits on Certain Insurance Practices and Costs.
• Reinstates Right of Same‐Sex Couples to Marry.
• Changes Legislative Vote Requirement to Pass a Budget or Raise Taxes from Two‐Thirds to a Simple Majority.
• Creates Special Constitutional Rule for Speech Based on the Bible.
• Changes California Law to Legalize Marijuana and Release Non‐Violent Marijuana Offenders from Jail.
• Limits on Legislators’ Terms in Office.
• Eliminates State Income and Property Taxes for All Residents 55 Years Old and Older.
• Prohibits Public Funding of Schools Through Taxes.
• Prohibits Public Schools from Establishing Educational Curriculum.
• Changes Laws Governing Ballot Measures.
• Criminalizes False Statements About Legislative Acts, Elections, or Government Employees.
• Changes Constitutional Definition of a Person to Include Fertilized Human Eggs.
• Limits on Insurance Company Practices.
• Changes Voter Approval Requirement for Local Bonds and Taxes to 55% from Two‐Thirds so Long as Accountability Requirements are Met.
• Makes Illegal the Use of Public Employee Wage Deductions for Political Activities.
• Imposes Political Contribution Restrictions on Public Employee Labor Organizations.
• Denial of Public Benefits for Persons Who Cannot Verify Lawful Presence. Eliminates Benefits for Certain Children in CalWORKS Program.
• Prohibits Voting By Those Who Fail to Provide Government‐Issued Identification. Adds Additional Absentee Voting Requirements.
• Requires Waiting Period and Parental Notification Before Terminating Pregnancy of Female Under 18.
• Changes Legislative Vote Requirement to Pass a Budget from Two‐Thirds to a Simple Majority. Retains Two‐Thirds Vote Requirement for Taxes.
• Requires Parental Notification Before Terminating Pregnancy of Female Under 18.
• Repeals Recent Legislation That Would Allow Businesses to Carry Back Losses, Share Tax Credits, and Use a Sales‐Based Income Calculation to Lower Taxable Income.
• Prohibits the State from Taking Funds Used for Transportation or Local Government Projects and Services. Changes California’s Income and Property Tax Laws.

Initiatives Pending at AG’s Office as of Dec. 16 (substantially similar duplicate measures not listed)

• California Cancer Research Act – Increases tobacco tax to pay for cancer research.
• Local Control of Local Classrooms Funding Act ‐ 55% vote for local education revenue if accountability measures are also adopted, maximum of $250/parcel, allows exemption of property owned by someone 65+.
• Legislative Integrity and Recusal ‐ Legislators can’t cast committee or floor votes for legislation that would financially benefit anyone who has donated to them in the previous 12 months.
• The Best Practices Budget Accountability Act ‐ California Forward’s measure to change state budget practices.
• State Parks and Wildlife Conservation Trust Fund Act ‐ (Joe Caves) Adds $18 charge to vehicle registration for the trust fund; grants free state park day use to all such registered vehciles.
• Community Hospital Taxes ‐ Prohibits tax on hospitals to pull down federal funds (reimbursement of community hospitals for caring for low‐income patients) unless the money is put into a trust fund for those purposes.
• New Public Employees Benefits Reform Act ‐ New public pension reform initiative.
• Education and Taxpayer Fairness Act ‐ Unclear; exempts first $1 million of tangible property from taxes and double homeowner’s exemption; imposes additional 0.55% rate on nonresidential, non‐ag, non‐exempt property, the revenues of which are to be used for K‐14.
• Foster Child Opportunity Scholarship Act – Provides some money to foster kids for private schools; includes accountability measures.
• California Against Slavery Act to Strengthen Human Trafficking Law – Self‐explanatory; increases civil and criminal penalties, changes evidence rules, etc.
• Corporate Political Accountability Act – Requires shareholder approval prior to making political expenditures.
• Taxpayer Protection Act of 2010 – Requires voter approval of state tax increases and changes definitions of fees and special taxes.
• Government Spending Limit Act of 2010 – Strengthens spending limit based on Gann initiative and requires funds over that limit to pay down debt, increase the reserve, spend on education, or refund to taxpayers.
• California Jobs Initiative – Would prohibit implementation of AB 32 until state unemployment falls below 5.5% for four consecutive quarters.
• The McCauley‐Rosen Wealth Tax and Oceans Preservation Act – Imposes new taxes on the most wealth and uses the money to buy controlling shares in specific major oil, finance, and car corporations, and to restore Hetch Hetchy.
• Increased Lottery Funding for Schools and Lottery Public Accountability Act of 2010 – Attempts to increase revenue generated for schools by the lottery.